Dear McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center Family,

This summer, our Outreach & Education team has been busy providing presentations throughout the community on topics that help prevent child abuse and promote child safety. We have had the opportunity to connect with parents, youth-serving organizations, childcare providers, and community groups, sharing practical information and resources that empower adults to recognize concerns, respond appropriately, and help protect children.

Our Outreach & Education team continues this important work throughout the school year, providing engaging, age-appropriate presentations in schools across Onondaga County for students, as well as professional development opportunities for adults who work with children.

Did you know that we offer training for educators, healthcare professionals, social service providers, law enforcement, and other professionals?

Our professional development programs are designed to increase knowledge, build confidence, and strengthen our community’s collective ability to recognize, respond to, and prevent child abuse.

If your school, organization, business, or community group is interested in one of our many youth-focused presentations or professional development trainings, we would be happy to partner with you. Our programs can be tailored to meet the needs of your audience and are an excellent way to promote child safety awareness throughout our community.

To request a presentation or learn more about our Outreach & Education programs, please contact our Outreach & Education Director, Lauren Rufo or send us a message via our website on the contact page.

Together, we can continue to create safer communities where every child can grow up safe, healthy, and supported.

Warm regards,

Mrs. Erin Bates

DON’T MISS THE 9TH ANNUAL STAND AGAINST CHILD ABUSE CONFERENCE!

Register now and save with our Early Bird rate, available through August 24th!

There’s still time to register for McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center’s 9th Annual Stand Against Child Abuse Conference on September 30. Take advantage of Early Bird pricing through August 24th and register today before rates increase.

Join hundreds of professionals dedicated to protecting children and supporting victims of abuse. This full-day conference brings together experts, advocates, educators, medical professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors, child welfare professionals, and others committed to strengthening their knowledge and skills.

This year’s conference features an exceptional lineup of presenters covering topics including:

·    Child abuse investigations and multidisciplinary team responses

·    Digital safety, AI, and online exploitation

·    Human trafficking awareness and response

·    Trauma-informed practice and professional resilience

·    Child victim behavior and survivor perspectives

·    Supporting children with disabilities within CAC and MDT systems

Register today to secure your preferred workshop selections and lock in Early Bird pricing before August 24th.

CLICK HERE to view the registration packet and workshop choices.

TO AVOID PAYING CREDIT CARD FEES – mail in a check w/the registration form to:

McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center

Attn: Catherine Cramer

601 E Genesee Street

Syracuse, NY 13202

Survivor of Child Sexual Abuse & Assistant U.S. Attorney in Detroit

Kevin is a survivor of child sexual abuse. He works as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Detroit. Throughout his career, Kevin has prosecuted a variety of cases, including offenses involving firearms, drugs, bank robberies, threats, terrorism, and a wide variety of other federal prosecutions. But most of his caseload focuses on child exploitation crimes, including production of child pornography cases, traveler cases, and other significant crimes against children prosecutions. Kevin has been a prosecutor since 2002, all on the federal level, with the first 3 1/2 years as an AUSA in San Diego, and the rest in Detroit.

Kevin obtained his undergraduate degree in Statistics and American Culture from the University of Michigan and his JD from Santa Clara School of Law, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Santa Clara Law Review. He has 3 kids, 2 cats, and a very nice wife.

Click below to register to see the Keynote Speaker and attend the Breakfast portion for only for $30!

Sponsor the Conference!

Become a sponsor for the Stand Against Child Abuse Conference and help provide this essential training for professionals in our community who work with children! You can find all the sponsorship information below. Levels include free registrations, vendor table and promotions. Contact Dana at dwalk@mcmahonryan.org to learn more.

Interested in a Vendor Table?

Is your business or non-profit interested in having a vendor table at the conference? We have between 200-300 attendees at the conference who could learn about your organization or business. View the form below for more information or email Catherine at ccramer@mcmahonryan.org

To help prevent child sexual abuse, it’s important to understand who perpetrators may be and how grooming behaviors can look. Many people assume abuse is most often committed by strangers, but the reality is that 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.



Perpetrators often use grooming tactics to build trust, create opportunities for access, and manipulate both children and their families. Staying informed helps us recognize warning signs and better protect the children in our lives.

COPS 4 KIDS:

THANK YOU GOLFERS

Thank You for Making Cops 4 Kids a Success!

On behalf of everyone at McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center, thank you to all who participated in and supported our sold out Cops 4 Kids Golf Tournament yesterday! We are incredibly grateful to our law enforcement partners, sponsors, volunteers, donors, and community members whose generosity and enthusiasm made this event such a success.

Your support helps ensure that children and families impacted by abuse continue to receive the critical services, advocacy, and hope they need. Every contribution, whether through sponsorship, volunteering, fundraising, or attendance, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

We are proud to be part of a community that comes together to protect children and strengthen families. Thank you for standing with McMahon Ryan and helping us create a brighter future for the children in our community.

Together, we are making a difference. 💙

THANK YOU IBEW 43!

We are incredibly grateful for our longstanding partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 43. Their dedication to our community shines brightly through their continuous support of the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center.

IBEW Local 43 doesn’t just keep our community connected—they play a vital role in helping us end child abuse and human trafficking in Onondaga County.

Here are a few incredible ways they have partnered with us recently to make a difference:

• Funding Crucial Staff & Training: Their generous financial support directly funds essential resources, including our Extended Forensic Interviewer position and specialized Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) training.
• Syracuse Crunch Drive: This past April, IBEW Local 43 teamed up with the Syracuse Crunch hockey team for a donation drive, collecting baby bottles, wipes, snacks and juice boxes to bring comfort to children awaiting services at our center.
• First Responders Night: In July, they presented First Responders Night at the Syracuse Mets game, shining a well-deserved spotlight on our mission and the first responders who protect our youth.

Thank you, IBEW Local 43, for being a true champion for children and families in our community. We are honored to stand alongside you!

THE TEAM IS GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL!

At McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center, our work doesn’t stop with the 1,811 children we served last year in the aftermath of abuse. Our Outreach & Education team is in schools across Onondaga County, providing essential prevention education to over 26,000 students each year. These programs give children the knowledge and tools they need to recognize unsafe situations, seek help from trusted adults, and protect themselves—skills that can last a lifetime.

From our “High Five!” programs for younger children, which focus on feelings, personal body safety, and rules for staying safe, to “No Bully Zone” and Internet Safety presentations for older students, we meet children where they are with age-appropriate, engaging lessons. We also offer specialized education on topics like human trafficking prevention, empowering teens to make safe choices and find healthy support systems. Each program is developed in collaboration with educators and parents to strengthen the safety net around every child.

You can learn more about each of these programs here.

These prevention efforts are made possible because of donor support. When you give to McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center, you’re not only helping children heal after abuse—you’re helping prevent it in the first place. Together, we can build a safer future for every child in our community.

A Simple Conversation Can Help Keep Children Safe

Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States, making firearm safety an important part of protecting kids both at home and when they visit friends or relatives. Research continues to show that secure firearm storage is an effective way to reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths.

Yet many families are not having conversations about firearm safety. A recent study found that only 41% of parents had directly asked another caregiver whether firearms were present in the home before leaving their child in their care, while more than one-third had never asked at all. The most common reason? Many parents said they had simply never thought about it.

Just as parents ask about allergies, supervision, pets, or car seats, asking about firearm safety can help families make informed decisions. Experts recommend that firearms be stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. A simple question such as, “Are any firearms in the home stored securely?” can open the door to an important safety conversation and help create safer environments for children.

Learn More:

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/11/nx-s1-5429711/gun-deaths-state-laws-jama-pediatrics

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876285926001087?dgcid=raven_sd_aip_email

https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2026/04/09/ip-2025-046020?rss=1

This month, we are celebrating a very special milestone for our Director of Outreach & Education, Lauren, who recently celebrated 10 years with McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center!

Lauren began her journey with us a decade ago as an Outreach & Education Specialist and has grown tremendously throughout her career, taking on increasing leadership and responsibility and ultimately stepping into her current role as Director of Outreach & Education. Along the way, she has played an integral role in building and strengthening our prevention education program and helping shape it into the impactful program it is today.

Today, Lauren leads a team of four dedicated educators who provide essential child abuse prevention education to more than 26,000 local students each year. Her leadership, passion, creativity, and commitment to prevention have helped expand our reach and ensure that thousands of children across our community receive the knowledge and tools they need to recognize unsafe situations, understand boundaries, and know when and how to ask for help.

Lauren’s 10 years at McMahon Ryan represent so much more than a milestone—they represent a decade of making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families throughout our community. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication, leadership, and heart she brings to our team every day.

Congratulations on 10 years, Lauren! We are so fortunate to have you on our team and look forward to all the difference you will continue to make in the years ahead!